A panchayat ward member was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Bansapal Tehsil in Keonjhar district on Monday. The deceased was identified as Bhagban Dehury, ward member of Tala Jagar village.
Sources said Dehury had gone to attend a Gram Sabha meeting in Kumundi panchayat on Sunday evening. When he did not return, family members launched a frantic search only to find his body floating in a canal nearby next day.
While the exact reason behind his death was yet to be ascertained, family members suspected it as a case of murder. Police on getting information reached the spot and seized the body for postmortem. Further details were awaited until the autopsy report arrives. A probe was initiated and a case registered.